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Donal Skehan
Tequila Chicken Salad | DonalSkehan.com, A chicken salad recipe with a naughty secret!
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Tequila Chicken Salad

November 09

I’m a bit of a lightweight when it comes to booze, as my friends like to remind me on a regular basis. I’d sooner use tequila in cooking than down a shot of the stuff, as in this recipe where the tequila lends a peppery sharpness while simultaneously helping to tenderise the meat. Paired with a sweet and savoury mango quinoa salad, this healthy, colourful dish could well make you forget your late night misadventures… well, almost. {Recipe from my cookbook FRESH.}

  • serves Serves 4
  • time 20 mins + marinade time

Method

  1. 1. Place all the ingredients for the chicken into a resealable bag and shake to combine. Leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight, turning once or twice if you remember.
  2. 2. Whisk together the caster sugar, lime juice and fish sauce in a large bowl until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the quinoa, beansprouts, spring onions, mango and the torn lettuce and toss to combine.
  3. 3. Place a large griddle pan over a medium-high heat and brush lightly with oil. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and fry for 4 – 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked all the way through. Remove from the heat and slice each breast into chunks
  4. 4. Divide the mango quinoa salad between 4 plates and sprinkle each one with some chopped peanuts, mint and coriander. Top with the chicken slices and serve immediately.

Ingredients

For the chicken:

4 skinless chicken breasts

1 garlic clove

1 green chilli

6 tbsp tequila

Zest and juice of 2 limes

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tbsp olive oil

Small handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped

Generous pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Olive oil, for brushing

For the mango salad:

1 tsp caster sugar

Juice of 1 lime

3 tbsp fish sauce (nom pla)

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 1/2 cups beansprouts

5 spring onions, thinly sliced

1 ripe mango, peeled, stoned and sliced lengthways

2 Little Gem lettuces, roughly shredded

Handful of peanuts, toasted and chopped

Handful of fresh mint, chopped

Handful of fresh coriander, chopped

For the chicken:

4 skinless chicken breasts (about 150g each)

1 garlic clove

1 green chilli

6 tbsp tequila

Zest and juice of 2 limes

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tbsp olive oil

Small handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped

Generous pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Olive oil, for brushing

For the mango salad:

1 tsp caster sugar

Juice of 1 lime

3 tbsp fish sauce (nom pla)

200g cooked quinoa

150g beansprouts

5 spring onions, thinly sliced

1 ripe mango, peeled, stoned and sliced lengthways

2 Little Gem lettuces, roughly shredded

Handful of peanuts, toasted and chopped

Handful of fresh mint, chopped

Handful of fresh coriander, chopped

You'll Need

Griddle Pan

Resealable bag

 

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